Jacob’s Dream at Bethel

10 Jacob left Beersheba(A) and set out for Harran.(B) 11 When he reached a certain place,(C) he stopped for the night because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones there, he put it under his head(D) and lay down to sleep. 12 He had a dream(E) in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.(F) 13 There above it[a] stood the Lord,(G) and he said: “I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac.(H) I will give you and your descendants the land(I) on which you are lying.(J) 14 Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you(K) will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south.(L) All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring.[b](M) 15 I am with you(N) and will watch over you(O) wherever you go,(P) and I will bring you back to this land.(Q) I will not leave you(R) until I have done what I have promised you.(S)(T)

16 When Jacob awoke from his sleep,(U) he thought, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it.” 17 He was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place!(V) This is none other than the house of God;(W) this is the gate of heaven.”

18 Early the next morning Jacob took the stone he had placed under his head(X) and set it up as a pillar(Y) and poured oil on top of it.(Z) 19 He called that place Bethel,[c](AA) though the city used to be called Luz.(AB)

20 Then Jacob made a vow,(AC) saying, “If God will be with me and will watch over me(AD) on this journey I am taking and will give me food to eat and clothes to wear(AE) 21 so that I return safely(AF) to my father’s household,(AG) then the Lord[d] will be my God(AH) 22 and[e] this stone that I have set up as a pillar(AI) will be God’s house,(AJ) and of all that you give me I will give you a tenth.(AK)

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 28:13 Or There beside him
  2. Genesis 28:14 Or will use your name and the name of your offspring in blessings (see 48:20)
  3. Genesis 28:19 Bethel means house of God.
  4. Genesis 28:21 Or Since God … father’s household, the Lord
  5. Genesis 28:22 Or household, and the Lord will be my God, 22 then

10 And Jacob went out from Beersheba, and went toward Haran.

11 And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and he took of the stones of that place, and put them for his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep.

12 And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it.

13 And, behold, the Lord stood above it, and said, I am the Lord God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed;

14 And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.

15 And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.

16 And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the Lord is in this place; and I knew it not.

17 And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.

18 And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put for his pillows, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it.

19 And he called the name of that place Bethel: but the name of that city was called Luz at the first.

20 And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on,

21 So that I come again to my father's house in peace; then shall the Lord be my God:

22 And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God's house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee.

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